DULUTH — A new Vietnamese restaurant called Pho'licious recently took over the space formerly occupied by Taste of Saigon since 1986.
Canal Park’s newest restaurant is located on the first floor of the DeWitt Seitz Marketplace building at 394 S. Lake Ave. in Suite 105. Hours are from 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.
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Since reopening under new ownership and management on Nov. 19, the new eatery has ditched the Styrofoam containers and plastic cutlery to offer full table service with plates and flatware.
Pho’licious offers dine-in, takeout, delivery and catering services. There is seating for up to 64 patrons with a full staff of eight.
The menu features traditional, authentic Vietnamese dishes. There are 22 pho (noodle soup) options, as well as grilled pork, chicken or shrimp entrees paired with rice or vermicelli pasta. Chicken dishes, vegetarian options, fried rice, egg rolls, spring rolls and various beverages are also available.
Combination meals cost roughly $16, according to the Pho’licious website .
Pho’licious is owned by Hien (Jenny) Nguyen-Perrin and Joel Perrin. They are also the owners of Lux Nails & Spa at 5115 Burning Tree Road and Perrin's Auto Sales at 323 E. Central Entrance.
Born and raised in Madison, Wisconsin, Perrin later graduated from William Kelley High School in Silver Bay and moved to Duluth in 1983.
Nguyen-Perrin immigrated to the United States from Vietnam 22 years ago. After working as a general manager for a local nail salon, Nguyen-Perrin opened her own salon Burning Tree Plaza over two years ago.
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According to a post on the Pho’licious Facebook page, the restaurant has no affiliation with the previous owners of the Taste of Saigon, or any partnership with other food establishments in Duluth.
Taste of Saigon was owned by Vietnam War refugees Lan and Hiep Nguyen, and their business partner, Hung Vo. It was previously managed by the Nguyen's son, Duy. Although the owner of Pho’licious and its predecessor share the same last name, there is no familial relation.
About 20 fan-favorites from the former Taste of Saigon's menu remain. The new owners said they welcome customer input on both new and existing items as they work to expand the menu.
“We can do custom orders, too, if they request something that's not on the menu that used to be offered because the cook stayed on with us from the Taste of Saigon,” Perrin said. “A lot of people appreciated his style. He's still there.”
Chef Mot Nguyen will continue serving up Chinese cuisine, while Nguyen-Perrin will incorporate Vietnamese-style dishes.
“It's all fresh and made daily,” Nyguyen-Perrin said. “I do it with my heart.”
The restaurant will also feature a new boba (bubble) tea bar, which is currently under construction.
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